I've got a patched Masterbase up through SOI. I had the old version of the Easyinstall and simply added OGW and SOI in. So, the verbiage within the base may not look entirely correct, but this Masterbase lets you play the game either way.
+4 Dryad Militant (Yes, she hoses instants and sorceries from graveyards, but why do we care, we're not playing recursion!)
+4 Primal Bellow (Same as Blanchwood, but only a one shot)
+4 Vines of Vastwood (Trollshroud and pump, yes please!)
+4 Apostle's Blessing (Protection from artifacts or any color; Against lightning bolts, paths, or just a downright Alpha Strike)
+4 Aspect of Hydra (Once you hit 3 creatures, this is generally better than a Giant Growth, almost every time)
As for Sideboard, I'd do the following:
+4 Might of the Masses (Comes in against anything that doesn't destroy your creatures)
+4 Fog (Comes in against faster decks to buy you a turn or two)
+4 Deglamer or +4 Back to Nature (Destroys all Enchantments, (which doesn't hurt you much at all) or puts an Artifact or Enchantment back into their library)
+3 Feed the Clan (Lifegain against burn and other fast damage decks) or +3 Root Maze (Slows down decks that run Fetchlands and Shocklands)
Nothing in the above list is above 2 CMC, any more than that, without any type of ramp, will be tough to come by. Plus, if you activate Yavimaya Dryad's ability, you're losing a land anyway. I know you're running Collected Company, and yes, that can get away with fewer lands, but you have to survive to turn 4 to cast CoCo anyway...
This way all your creatures are still Dryads and you may be able to setup a good run against better decks.
If you were trying to do a hair better than budget, adding Might of Old Krosa really packs a punch. 4 damage (although at Sorcery Speed) is nothing to laugh at. If you cast Might of Old Krosa and Vines of Vastwood on any one of your creatures, that's basically 10 unblockable for the turn (and also untargetable from opponent's thanks to Vines of Vastwood).
I like it. It's a decent pull. There are a lot of fun Allies to be abused in the set. Just a couple of changes I would implement.
While a 1 drop, Cliffside Lookout is not really that great. Yes, she's an Ally, but otherwise, her ability generally won't take effect til too late in the game. With this deck, if you've made it that far, you've probably already lost.
So, I would cut her. Her sister, Serene Steward seems great to me. You're already gaining life like crazy with both the Zulaport Cutthroat and the Kalastria Healer. (Kind of reminds me of the red version that uses Outpost Siege and Impact Tremors, but much more efficient.) You could honestly throw in four lifegain lands to increase your lifegain a bit, in Scoured Barrens but that would be a personal choice. Yes, to speed it up, you could add in four Caves of Koilos which thanks to the Modern Event deck from last year is the most printed enemy painland available. You've got plenty of lifegain to back it up and at less than a dollar a piece, why not?
So, anyway, if you cut Cliffside Lookout for Serene Steward and if you're budget like me, you don't have Liliana's, so you could add in Drana's Emissary for more lifegain too, you would be basically pumping your army slightly every time you gain life.
Another option would be the Consul's Lieutenant. If you're going that route though, you'd need to make sure he gets through at least once, and he wouldn't trigger your Kalastria Healer but a pump every time he attacks, yes please!
Have fun with your deck. Hope it works out well for you.
My guess is they won't give us all ten Painlands back, but the chance is possible. Probably Evolving Wilds but maybe not, because Origins cycles the same time as Dragons of Tarkir. Here's hoping for the Painlands though!
Looks fun to play with friends around the kitchen table. 13/21 lands coming into play tapped hurts a lot though. That's my only fear looking at this to start with. Your creatures are fun to run and each play a neat part, but other than being Legendary, they tend to not run super well together. Cutting the deck down to 2 or 3 colors would increase your chances of drawing things you needed more often. Yes, magical Christmasland exists, but you shouldn't rely on it too much.
I'd cut blue first, since Shu Yun isn't super powerful without more prowess options. Daxos is okay, but again, the requirement for blue. If you're running so many taplands, why not just add in some Evolving Wilds and run more basics? That way you'd have what you needed more often.
Highly surprised on Goblin Piledriver. Slightly shocked honestly. Would be great if they could reprint Chain Lightning. It's not Instant, like they've been claiming is too powerful, and it's not on the Reserved list, and has already been reprinted a couple of times in non-basic sets. Why not?!?! We need a 1 drop damage spell that deals 3, even if it is a Sorcery. Yes, goblins, blah blah blah, but what if we don't want to go tribal?
I also believe you can lose a land, as 20 is plenty if you cut your 4 drops.
So, -1 Land
+2 Valorous Stance (This card is soooo good)
+1 Anticipate (Rarely if ever a bad draw unless you draw into 3 more Anticipates!)
+4 Myth Realized
+3 or +4 (depending on what you cut before) Gods Willing or Aqueous Form. I understand you wanting something to push through with Taigam's Strike but by turn 4 you usually need something cheaper than 4 mana, unless the 4 will win you the game. Taigam's Strike just doesn't do that.
This should leave you at 61, which is rarely a bad number. It's tougher for people trying to mill you to calculate, plus the likelyhood of you not thinning your deck enough due to 1 card is negligable.
For land base, if you're going budget, I'd probably run an even split of Islands and Plains. If you want to run 4 of the lifegain lands, that won't hurt you terribly, but if you plan on that route, Evolving Wilds is almost as good (being able to fetch into play for cheap whatever you need). Fetchlands are of course recommended, but those would shoot the cost of the deck pretty far up.
The biggest problem I see with your deck is the land base. I agree, this is budget, but you have 16/24 lands coming into play tapped. That's not going to work too well for you in the long run.
Were I to keep your deck as is, but modify just the land base, I would do this:
This is only 22 lands, I agree, but why do you need 24 lands? Your highest cost is Daghatar, and he is a 4 drop. Yes, you get some lifegain from your lands, but you won't be doing anything for 3-4 turns anyway with all the tap effects. My recommendation has 4 Taplands and 3 Search Taplands (Evolving Wilds). That way you can get the Mountain, Swamp or Plains you need.
Now to your deck. Bile Blight is a good card, but in a tri-color deck, you'll rarely get to double black most games, even with a great landbase. Without Fetchlands, your deck will be too slow. Also, as 2 of, you're not going to see it often enough. The only other effect you'll need double black on is Daghatar's ability, which while nice, really is a bit overkill for what it does. Daghatar is a great recursion from Alesha, but otherwise, kind of a weak link. So, I think he should go.
I know, the Pegasus is silly, but nothing is better than swinging with all your other creatures in the air when he swings. If they waste removal on him, great, he's your weakest card by himself.
Anyone else notice the misprint on Divine Verdict? Looks like the same artwork from Theros, but with 2 mana difference. As a 2 cost common, this should skyrocket if it's real. Chances are, someone is trying to be funny though!
I tend to agree on Hedonist's Trove. It's a win more card. When it comes up, it is usually fun to play, but overall, kindof silly. A bit overpriced too, unless you somehow are able to get lots of lands into their graveyard.
I did think on Deathbringer Regent, and he is actually pretty good here. He hoses a lot of decks that rely on large numbers of creatures, but Bile Blight and Drown In Sorrow do that in most cases. I agree that Crux of Fate probably does belong though.
If I were to go Monoblack Devotion, instead of Control, other than the Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which I do have one of, and possibly an Erebos, God of the Dead, what else would I bring in. I have some Squelching Leeches and as a turn 4-5 drop, they tend to shine in a full black deck. I guess probably more creatures and Enchantments, probably with more devotion (black mana symbols).
I like to call Khans on the Palace Siege and recur the Merciless Executioner. It's funny to see them lose a creature each and every turn after that. Of course, I always start with Dragons on Palace Siege anyway.
Mirror Mockery seems mostly like Singing Bell Strike copies 5-8, if you decide to run either. Yes, it has its benefits, but if this deck is going into the long game, it generally loses anyway. But, nothing better than getting rid of one of their big beasties entirely by blocking with it. On the upside, you can just keep copying one of their dudes to chump block a second attacker each time with the token.
I think this deck is fun, and even when it loses, it generally is a good time to play. Lots of interactions, and possible transformational sideboards. Illusory Angel is still much better than Hewed Stone Retainers, but in the mono artifact shell, it may make the cut. It just sucks having either in your opening hand and no quick way to cheat them out before turn 3 (at the absolute minimum usually).
Even with the splash, this generally never has mana problems. If you're running some combination of Springleaf Drum you can still activate it off of a Frost Walker so he doesn't die to a stiff breeze when blocking, as Springleaf Drum doesn't target.
Sadly, this is basically a Modern deck, sans the Crusade, Mother of Runes and the Swords to Plowshares. If you want a similar (almost identical effect lifewise, you have Condemn and as previously stated you have Honor of the Pure. Replacing Mother of Runes is a bit tougher, as she is a permanent possible help, but Bathe in Light may make the cut. For the same mana as one activation from Mother of Runes, you get full protection for your entire army (almost like a two casting cost Brave the Elements which I see is already in your sideboard. Those three changes, and you'd be Modern legal.
http://www.mediafire.com/download/tki9tfltkobfo31/SOI_Master.zip
Just my two cents.
-4 Blanchwood Armor
-4 Beastmaster Ascension
-4 Descendants' Path
-4 Wormwood Dryad
Possbily -4 Giant Growth
That leaves us 16-20 slots
+4 Dryad Militant (Yes, she hoses instants and sorceries from graveyards, but why do we care, we're not playing recursion!)
+4 Primal Bellow (Same as Blanchwood, but only a one shot)
+4 Vines of Vastwood (Trollshroud and pump, yes please!)
+4 Apostle's Blessing (Protection from artifacts or any color; Against lightning bolts, paths, or just a downright Alpha Strike)
+4 Aspect of Hydra (Once you hit 3 creatures, this is generally better than a Giant Growth, almost every time)
As for Sideboard, I'd do the following:
+4 Might of the Masses (Comes in against anything that doesn't destroy your creatures)
+4 Fog (Comes in against faster decks to buy you a turn or two)
+4 Deglamer or +4 Back to Nature (Destroys all Enchantments, (which doesn't hurt you much at all) or puts an Artifact or Enchantment back into their library)
+3 Feed the Clan (Lifegain against burn and other fast damage decks) or +3 Root Maze (Slows down decks that run Fetchlands and Shocklands)
Nothing in the above list is above 2 CMC, any more than that, without any type of ramp, will be tough to come by. Plus, if you activate Yavimaya Dryad's ability, you're losing a land anyway. I know you're running Collected Company, and yes, that can get away with fewer lands, but you have to survive to turn 4 to cast CoCo anyway...
This way all your creatures are still Dryads and you may be able to setup a good run against better decks.
If you were trying to do a hair better than budget, adding Might of Old Krosa really packs a punch. 4 damage (although at Sorcery Speed) is nothing to laugh at. If you cast Might of Old Krosa and Vines of Vastwood on any one of your creatures, that's basically 10 unblockable for the turn (and also untargetable from opponent's thanks to Vines of Vastwood).
If you need a little extra protection, either Ranger's Guile or Avoid Fate both do a fine job. Ranger's Guile can also act as a small pump spell.
Just my two cents.
While a 1 drop, Cliffside Lookout is not really that great. Yes, she's an Ally, but otherwise, her ability generally won't take effect til too late in the game. With this deck, if you've made it that far, you've probably already lost.
So, I would cut her. Her sister, Serene Steward seems great to me. You're already gaining life like crazy with both the Zulaport Cutthroat and the Kalastria Healer. (Kind of reminds me of the red version that uses Outpost Siege and Impact Tremors, but much more efficient.) You could honestly throw in four lifegain lands to increase your lifegain a bit, in Scoured Barrens but that would be a personal choice. Yes, to speed it up, you could add in four Caves of Koilos which thanks to the Modern Event deck from last year is the most printed enemy painland available. You've got plenty of lifegain to back it up and at less than a dollar a piece, why not?
So, anyway, if you cut Cliffside Lookout for Serene Steward and if you're budget like me, you don't have Liliana's, so you could add in Drana's Emissary for more lifegain too, you would be basically pumping your army slightly every time you gain life.
Another option would be the Consul's Lieutenant. If you're going that route though, you'd need to make sure he gets through at least once, and he wouldn't trigger your Kalastria Healer but a pump every time he attacks, yes please!
Have fun with your deck. Hope it works out well for you.
Just my two cents.
I'd cut blue first, since Shu Yun isn't super powerful without more prowess options. Daxos is okay, but again, the requirement for blue. If you're running so many taplands, why not just add in some Evolving Wilds and run more basics? That way you'd have what you needed more often.
For that matter, Price of Progress could work too.
-3 Ojutai's Command
-4 Taigam's Strike
-2 Anafenza, Kin Tree Spirit
-2 or +1 Monastery Siege (This card is decent, but as a 2 of, you're not seeing it enough. If you don't want to cut it, add at least 1 more)
I also believe you can lose a land, as 20 is plenty if you cut your 4 drops.
So, -1 Land
+2 Valorous Stance (This card is soooo good)
+1 Anticipate (Rarely if ever a bad draw unless you draw into 3 more Anticipates!)
+4 Myth Realized
+3 or +4 (depending on what you cut before) Gods Willing or Aqueous Form. I understand you wanting something to push through with Taigam's Strike but by turn 4 you usually need something cheaper than 4 mana, unless the 4 will win you the game. Taigam's Strike just doesn't do that.
This should leave you at 61, which is rarely a bad number. It's tougher for people trying to mill you to calculate, plus the likelyhood of you not thinning your deck enough due to 1 card is negligable.
For land base, if you're going budget, I'd probably run an even split of Islands and Plains. If you want to run 4 of the lifegain lands, that won't hurt you terribly, but if you plan on that route, Evolving Wilds is almost as good (being able to fetch into play for cheap whatever you need). Fetchlands are of course recommended, but those would shoot the cost of the deck pretty far up.
For me, it'd be the following, if on budget:
6x Island
6x Plains
4x Tranquil Cove and 2x Evolving Wilds or 2x Tranquil Cove and 4x Temple of Enlightenment
If not on budget, I'd run the following:
5x Island
5x Plains
4x Flooded Strand
4x Tranquil Cove or 4x Temple of Enlightenment
1x Polluted Delta
1x Windswept Heath
Were I to keep your deck as is, but modify just the land base, I would do this:
3 Evolving Wilds
5 Swamp
5 Plains
5 Mountain
This is only 22 lands, I agree, but why do you need 24 lands? Your highest cost is Daghatar, and he is a 4 drop. Yes, you get some lifegain from your lands, but you won't be doing anything for 3-4 turns anyway with all the tap effects. My recommendation has 4 Taplands and 3 Search Taplands (Evolving Wilds). That way you can get the Mountain, Swamp or Plains you need.
Now to your deck. Bile Blight is a good card, but in a tri-color deck, you'll rarely get to double black most games, even with a great landbase. Without Fetchlands, your deck will be too slow. Also, as 2 of, you're not going to see it often enough. The only other effect you'll need double black on is Daghatar's ability, which while nice, really is a bit overkill for what it does. Daghatar is a great recursion from Alesha, but otherwise, kind of a weak link. So, I think he should go.
So, -3 Daghatar the Adamant and -2 Bile Blight. Also, -2 Archetype of Courage. While first strike is nice, the 2 drop for 1WW is a little overcosted. If you take out the Dragonscale General you just cut your mana costs way down as well. So, -2 on that.
+3 Banishing Light
+1 Roast
+3 Chief of the Edge
+2 Cavalry Pegasus
I know, the Pegasus is silly, but nothing is better than swinging with all your other creatures in the air when he swings. If they waste removal on him, great, he's your weakest card by himself.
Just my two cents.
I did think on Deathbringer Regent, and he is actually pretty good here. He hoses a lot of decks that rely on large numbers of creatures, but Bile Blight and Drown In Sorrow do that in most cases. I agree that Crux of Fate probably does belong though.
If I were to go Monoblack Devotion, instead of Control, other than the Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, which I do have one of, and possibly an Erebos, God of the Dead, what else would I bring in. I have some Squelching Leeches and as a turn 4-5 drop, they tend to shine in a full black deck. I guess probably more creatures and Enchantments, probably with more devotion (black mana symbols).
I like to call Khans on the Palace Siege and recur the Merciless Executioner. It's funny to see them lose a creature each and every turn after that. Of course, I always start with Dragons on Palace Siege anyway.
I think this deck is fun, and even when it loses, it generally is a good time to play. Lots of interactions, and possible transformational sideboards. Illusory Angel is still much better than Hewed Stone Retainers, but in the mono artifact shell, it may make the cut. It just sucks having either in your opening hand and no quick way to cheat them out before turn 3 (at the absolute minimum usually).
Even with the splash, this generally never has mana problems. If you're running some combination of Springleaf Drum you can still activate it off of a Frost Walker so he doesn't die to a stiff breeze when blocking, as Springleaf Drum doesn't target.
Anyway, the changes I would make are below:
-4 Mother of Runes
-4 Swords to Plowshares
-4 Crusade
-4 Doomed Traveler
+4 Jötun Grunt
+4 Condemn or +4 Path to Exile
+4 Bathe in Light
+4 Honor of the Pure
These are not super budget. But, if you wanted to convert it to Modern it'd be fine.